


autumn everything

by juicymats



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Post Season 2, Short & Sweet, fluff fluff fluff all fluff, nancy shows up for like 0.2 seconds, these kids deserve a break..
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 14:51:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13460550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juicymats/pseuds/juicymats
Summary: mike and el take a walk.





	autumn everything

**Author's Note:**

> wanted to try my hand at something fluffy w these two.. i adore them..

Fall in Hawkins was easily the best time of the year. The endless amount of leaves that decorated the sidewalks and streets, all in different colors that worked beautifully together. The slowly decreasing temperature accommodated the autumn air, an indication that now was a good time to start wearing layers.

All of these things made days like this in Hawkins so relaxing and laid back.

It was the perfect plan. All the pieces were in his favor, this time. It was Sunday, and Hopper was allowing El to stay at his house today, as long as Nancy was home. She was! (For once.) His parents weren’t home either, which was a rare occurrence these days. This way, he and El can finally have just a day to themselves for the most part.

Because of this he couldn’t contain his excitement. There was so much they could do..like watch Star Wars or read comics..or bake something together-- bake something together? Since when has he had such an interest in those kind of things? He thinks, maybe because just the idea of doing it with _El_ was what made it so exciting. He would love to do anything with her, even just sitting in his room and staring at the cieling all day.

He’s fidgeting and restless as he bounces his leg rapidly. Every few minutes or so, he’ll take a look out the window to see if she’s arrived yet. He could tell he was getting a little ridiculous because Nancy, who was fixing herself a little snack before hiding out in her room, gives him a look.

“Relax, Mike. She’ll be here soon. You’re impatient..” She trails off.

“Oh, come on! It’s been like forever since we’ve had a day together, you can’t blame me for being a little excited.” Mike shoots back, bouncing his leg even faster with the added irritation.

Nancy rolls her eyes, before mumbling. “Lovestruck idiot…”

“I heard that!” Mike says, though he can’t really deny it. It’s not like he’ll ever admit that aloud, though. He hears his sister shut her door, so he’s guessing he won’t see her again for probably the whole day. Usually she greets El, though. Maybe she was just being considerate of him.

He’ll have to thank her later, then.

That’s when he hears the doorbell ring. Like autopilot, he’s already up and answering it, twisting the knob and pulling the door open.

“El!” He greets immediately, before his breath stops short.

She’s not looking any different than any other time he sees her, but it still makes his cheeks flush anyways. She’s wearing a flannel, and slightly ripped jeans. Fashion choices courteous of being around Hopper, probably. It was a nice look. She’s looking amazing as always..

He spots Hopper already driving away, and he’s really glad he seems to have a lot more trust for Mike lately.

El stares back at him with earnest eyes, and he can tell she’s needed this break too.

“Mike.” She says.

Letting out a breathy laugh, Mike moves away from the door to let her in. She’s taking the whole place in, much like when he first showed her around. The silence between them is comfortable, and Mike feels himself finally relax in her presence.

He takes a moment to consider what they should do…

The ideas come in a rush, there were so many things they could do together but the thoughts came so fast it was hard for him to keep up with them. Trying to settle on one thing, he doesn’t realize he had started fidgeting again, this time wringing his hands together.

El’s grateful for the silence, but notices this. She knows he can think so fast, so she decides to help. She carefully places her hands over his, and eventually he’s slowing down. Mike looks into her eyes this time, attention solely on her.

“Let’s go for a walk.” She says, eyeing the window beside the door.

Mike’s then adopting a look of confusion, wondering where this came up.

“But..but Hopper-”

“It’s okay. He’s not here, right?” She says, something he can only describe as amusement showing in her face.

Mike’s worried, because he doesn’t want Hopper to kill him, but he’s also excited and the look on El’s face makes him cave.

“A..Alright.” He chuckles, before realizing El’s hands are still over his. He blushes slightly, and she just smiles at him.

They walk through the crunching leaves and slightly damp dirt. The weather is tame and the skies are clear, where the sun is shining at just the perfect angle. There is no wind, and the trees drip with dew from a previous night’s rainfall.

It was, well, beautiful.

El slips her hand into his, and they walk in comforting quiet.

He didn’t know he’d be doing something so simple today, but he didn’t mind. Just being with El was like a breath of fresh air. He liked..to be with her. He thinks, after all the things he had been through with everyone, with the upside down, and the long year plagued with a hole torn in his heart… that it was all worth it for just this moment.

He has a ridiculous smile on his face, and he can tell El is looking at him.

“You look happy.” She observes, simply.

Mike, although used to her bluntness, still jumps at the bold declaration.

He can’t get the smile off his face, even as he looks away and tries to hide it. He hears El chuckle beside him, and it’s so nice to hear her so relaxed and carefree.

“Hey….you do too.” He says.

El’s smile gets even wider, before she lets go of his hand and stops. She seems to have found the place she had wanted to go.

Mike gapes at the huge tree that stands tall above the rest, right off the edge of the closest lake to his house. She must’ve gone here at some point...he knows she led him here on purpose.

Mike is about to ask, but he’s surprised at watching El climb the tree. Okay, she’s definitely been here before. She’s surprisingly nimble, taking in every nook and cranny of the tree and using the correct grooves to stick her feet and hands in. El gets on a giant branch jutting out, and sits comfortably.

She turns to look at him, smiling wide. “Come on up!”

She sounds so excited and happy...his chest feels warm and he decides, oh well, why not.

“Okay, okay…” He chuckles.

He’s climbed trees before, so it’s not much of a hassle. Or, so he thought. He was having a surprisingly hard time trying to get it, but El was patient. After a lot of painful scrapes, he’s nearly there, and tries to make it to the branch by jumping toward it. As he does, instead of feeling bark prick his skin, two strong hands wrap around his wrists, and he feels El hoisting him up onto it.

She pats him on the back, and he starts laughing. She laughs along, albeit much softer than him.

“Thanks, El.” He mumbles.

She beams at him before returning her gaze on the lake before them. The water is clear, and the sun shines upon it.

Mike can tell she wants to say something, but seems to be thinking about how she’ll say it. He’s fidgeting again, before finding his hand back in El’s.

“I..wanted to show you. This spot.” She says, voice low and soft. “Hopper showed me. The tree was my idea, though..”

Mike listens closely, and he can hear the small amount of pride in El’s voice for having an idea of her own.

“I’m glad I could show you.” She is looking into his eyes now, smiling soft and gentle.

Mike feels himself flush, and he swears El loves to make him blush and sputter.

“It looks amazing...this view makes it even better.” He says.

The lake is now shining with sunlight that makes it look like there are stars within its surface. The leaves of the tree drip water overtop of them, but neither of them mind. Hand in hand, they take in the view, quiet as can be. Mike leans into El, letting her wrap her arm around him, and pulling him close.

Mike usually feels like he has to protect El. But in a lot of instances he likes to feel like he’s protected by her, too.

Yeah, they needed this.

“Hey, Mike?” He hears El say.

“Yeah?”

He doesn’t get a response, and he’s wondering what she was going to say, when he feels something against his cheek.

Then, it’s gone in a second.

He hears El giggling, and he knows his face is all red and he’s flushed. He attempts to cover it with his hands.

“S-Stop laughing!” He says, but he knows he’s joining in with her.

They laugh and cuddle and spend an astounding amount of time on the once damp tree branch, taking in the view and taking in each other. El runs her hands through Mike’s hair, settling against the tree.

They lay together, Mike’s face resting on her stomach. The exhileration as worn off, and now they’re back to companiable silence.

It was welcomed, especially between them. Little moments like this meant the world to him. He was a sucker for the small things, the tender things, he was a romantic at heart. El had a way of just shining so brightly and- it was the way she just _loved_ life. He’s happy, because she can truly live this time around, and just have fun.

That’s what he wanted for her.

El strokes his hair, and hears Mike’s content sigh from the sensation. She smiles, after seeing him so tense lately, it’s good to see him really relax. Nothing to fear, nothing to watch out for, no looking over his shoulder. His anxiety at bay, his face is so loose and he looks even more beautiful like this.

Pretty, she thinks.

They stay like this, and only when the sun begins to set do they untangle themselves from each other and rush home before they’re caught in their wandering.

And as they run through the crackling leaves together, laughing frantic and breathless, El holds his hand.


End file.
